Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán Viktor’s recent meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington has sparked debate over what was actually agreed and how seriously it was taken in the United States.
Just a lunch meeting
According to Szent-Iványi István, a former European Parliament member and foreign policy expert, the encounter on 7 November was classified as a “lunch meeting”, which is
the lowest level of official diplomatic interaction.
Unlike a working visit or state visit, a lunch meeting involves sharing a meal without formal negotiations. “7 November saw detailed coverage of several other meetings on the White House website, but there was almost no official record of the Orbán–Trump meeting. This alone tells you how much weight Washington placed on it,” Szent-Iványi told Magyar Hang.
No such thing as “exemption without a time limit”
The controversy centres on claims regarding U.S. oil sanctions on Russian energy, which take effect on 21 November. Orbán posted on Facebook that he and Trump agreed on a permanent exemption for Hungary. Yet Szent-Iványi emphasises that the sanctions are mandated by an executive order:
“Exemptions only take effect if the order is formally amended. A handshake alone isn’t enough. Legally and politically, there is no such thing as an ‘exemption without a time limit’. At most, you can have a temporary relief that can be revoked at any time.”
Conflicting reports: indefinite or just one year?
Conflicting reports have circulated. The Hungarian government insists the exemption is indefinite, while White House sources suggest any relief would last a maximum of one year. Meanwhile, The Washington Post reports that Trump was still weighing whether to grant any exemption at all. A final answer will only come once the executive order is formally modified.
Szent-Iványi also noted that the White House’s own communications reinforce the limited scope of the meeting. Its website included only a brief photo gallery and a 56-second video, with no press release or article. By contrast, other same-day meetings were covered extensively, including agreements with Cornell University and awards for the First Lady.
U.S. public support for sanctions is strong
Political realities further constrain any potential exemption. U.S. public support for sanctions on Russian energy is strong, spanning 60–70% of Americans, including Republican voters. Ten U.S. senators, half of them Republicans, wrote an open letter urging Hungary to stop buying Russian energy, a warning that implicitly discouraged Trump from easing sanctions.
Even the U.S. State Department’s official statements highlight Hungarian commitments totalling potentially HUF 7,000 billion (EUR 18 billion), covering education, technology, and other symbolic areas, while making no mention of sanctions or the Paks nuclear project. “If there were a true agreement on sanctions relief, it would appear first in their summary,” Szent-Iványi remarked.
Don’t worry Hungarian peasants will believe whatever Fidesz tells them.
Next your going to tell us the majority of US support Palestine- name one EU leader that would be invited unless they promised to work to stop the destruction of europe..
Let us look at the source.
https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/11/u-s-hungary-relations-reach-new-heights
Credit where credit is due – our Visa Waiver Program status has been reinstated! Saves me having to request a new one, after each trip to the US …
Now for the fun (money) bit:
“Hungary signaled it intends to support construction of up to 10 Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) with a potential value of up to $20 billion”.
“Prime Minister Orbán announced a nuclear fuel deal with U.S.-based Westinghouse to supply U.S. nuclear fuel for Hungary’s Paks I nuclear plant. This contract is valued at approximately $114 million”.
“Hungary has committed to purchasing U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) … Contracts are expected to be valued at approximately $600 million”.
Wait! There is more!
“The Government of Hungary has announced its intent to purchase $700 million worth of defense articles via foreign military sales”.
Keeping count? Apparently, our Politicians have won the lottery and are spending the proceeds on us!
https://www.ksh.hu/s/en/publications/notification-of-balance-and-debt-of-the-general-government-sector-first-edp-notification-in-2025/index.html
Realistically, we should be able to “improve” on our 4.9 percent debt-as-a-percentage-of-GDP in 2024:
https://bbj.hu/economy/finance/debt/budget-deficit-hits-huf-3-67-tln-by-oct-76-8-of-annual-target/
What do you think? Loving facts and data?
Yes, Dear Norbert, when I saw the proposed future expenditures by the Hungarian government I immediately found myself wondering whence the money would arise –
especially as Mi Hazank Mozgolom has leading party members who constantly assert at YouTube that not only is the Hungarian infrastructure crumbling (most notably school-buildings and hospitals) essential workers, such as smalltown policemen and firemen have to work on very meagre wages.
How petty.
This was a meeting. Important enough to get on the schedule- a schedule made months in advance. How silly to frame it in this manner. A last minute audience is significant. This spin is pathetic and childish.
Victor Mihaly. Orban continues to be, through his support, his “personal” relationship, with the current President of the United States of America – D. J. Trump, a Presidency descending into deeper CHAOS that Orban is – “Food for Fodder”.
Orban, a “gofer” and with his Fidesz Government, over the time of (16) sixteen years DELIVERED Hungary representative as it is in 2025 – being an economic and financial SHAMBLES.
Hungary through the name – his doing – of his “ownership” with the support of the Fidesz Government of Hungary – Victor Mihaly. Orban has “crushed” destroyed the respect and trust of Hungary, with not just the European Union member countrys and Europe, but GLOBALLY countrys that are or “embrace” the word DEMOCRACY.
Hungary beyond “reasonable doubt” is No Longer a DEMOCRACY.
Orban has “sold ” us OUT.
Victor Mihaly. Orban – the name Fidesz – have NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING, nothing to provide give to the FUTURE of Hungary – NOTHING.
When Canada’s former PM visited Trump during his first administration the leading national newspaper summed up the visit with a cartoon of Trudeau using hand sanitizer from a very large dispenser after exiting the White House. During Canada’s 2025 election the Conservative Party lost in large part due the public associating it with Trump which Canadians on the whole detest as a coup plotting, woman abusing, criminal dictator. Hungarians live in a completely different universe and they pay a price as they are poorer for it.